Walking Stockholm. On the Water.

The inner city of Stockholm, Sweden, is a collection of islets connected by bridges. Soon after Stock(log)holm(islet) was founded in 1252 more and more islets were connected together by log-bridges. So even today water is a dominant feature in the city and its surroundings. Please come along on a 7-mile tour by foot, guided by my sister’s dog Pebbe, and then a short trip by boat to learn some of what summer Stockholm has to offer in terms of waterways.

We’ll start our walk along the Canal of Karlberg. This canal runs in the western central Stockholm and connects two lakes. On its shores we find lots of greenery, water lilies and other wild flowers.

Along the canal we spot fishing boats, hostel boats, houseboats and, of course people kayaking and paddle boarding. Pebbe is a great guide and keeps up the pace. Photo stops are carefully timed.

We also find some familiar birds and cute wild rabbits, who live under one of the bridges.

We pass some beautifully planned new developments right on the water.

And walking back we spot the Karlberg Palace that now hosts the Military Academy.

By this time we have walked about four miles and stop to rest along the canal before heading home through Solna – another three mile walk.

Once in Solna, we marvel about the 2014 building of the year, Aula Medica of the Karolinska Institute, a Medical University, by Wingårdh Architects. It houses a 1000-seat auditorium/lecture hall and catches the eye with its unconventional, modern architecture.

We walk home through the little forest surrounding these new, and old, buildings. I hope you’re doing fine after this seven mile walk. The fact that this July turned out to be the warmest in 265 years in Sweden should not make you sweat. But I am exhausted and Pebbe wants to sit for a bit too.

After resting for a couple of days, we’ll embark on a short boat tour in the very heart of Stockholm, now on the eastern side.

We go out right along the most exclusive neighborhood in the city, the gorgeous old buildings on Strandvägen.

And far away we spot a landmark, the Kaknäs observation tower.

We pass the Nordic Museum and the Wasa Museum that houses the only 1700-ship ever salvaged (mainly) intact, the 64-gun warship Wasa that sunk on her maiden voyage in 1628.

Next we pass the largest amusement park in Stockholm, Gröna Lund. We used to visit this park frequently when our son was small. It now boasts several new rides that I wouldn’t even imagine trying out … and still a few old ones that look more familiar.

Then we glide past more peaceful sights, like the Fåfänga park …

… and continue a bit deeper into the archipelago, in good company.

I leave you with a hint of my next post about a nostalgic trip to Finland on a ship like the one below.

I hope you enjoyed Stockholm on the water as much as I did. Thank you for coming along.

Thanks for sharing this beautiful city with us Tiny, a place I possibly will never see but for your informative post. Love the elegant old buildings and the most unusual modern one also. Curiosity makes one think how the you can actually use the hanging part of the modern lecture hall. Enjoy your week, I guess you are still in Sweden, looks a beautiful place.

I am back home since a few days. I loved my month in Sweden…good times with family and many friends I had not seen in 15+ years. I did not go inside the Aula Medica, but understand all the floors inside are even…an engineering marvel for sure. But I prefer the old buildings, so beautiful and sturdy, and all modernized inside. And Stockholm is such a walkable city…I did walk miles every day 🙂 Thank you for coming along, my friend.

What a beautiful city! I have yet to visit Europe, and Sweden has always been on my bucket list. Not sure when the trip will happen, but for now I am enjoying each “viewing” of the city through your lens. The 7-mile walk in record-breaking heat must have been quite an adventure in itself. Hopefully you had a water bottle or two on hand 🙂

Stockholm is indeed a beautiful city, particularly in the summer. And despite the heat, I walked a lot, mostly with my sister and her dog, but also some solo walks…always some water at hand. I am back home now with great memories. I hope you will get a chance to visit! Thank you my friend.

Tiny, you have done your home city proud with this beautiful guided tour
on the waterways connecting all the islands that form Stockholm. Wonderful pictures and history. It is amazing that in the midst of a modern city now, all this birdlife and plant life exists. The veracity of boats are also a delight.
Thank you

Thank you, Miriam. I am back home now with wonderful memories of this beautiful city, family and old friends. Stockholm is such a walkable city…and miles pile up quite easily while observing everything 🙂 So much green nature and animals! Have a beautiful weekend.

What marvelous pictures you took of your old homeland. It makes me anxious to visit Stockholm and the surrounding areas!! Thanks for sharing all these lovely shots of beautiful animals and unique architecture.

Thank you, Sue! Yes, Stockholm’s inner city is all about water…and greenery. I am back home now with wonderful memories of my walks and other adventures with my sister and her family, and my get togethers with many old friends.

I just returned home from my July adventures in Sweden, and a bit in Finland too. I had the most wonderful time. I missed Dylan (although he sent me pictures and text messages) and Pebbe was a great comforter 🙂 Thank you, Xenia XXX

My goodness; I’m exhausted… 🙂
So much of the city reminds of beautiful Copenhagen. You once said that if I enjoyed Denmark, I’d enjoy Sweden; I believe I would.
You are looking very trim; well done to you. All the walking/running is certainly paying off.. 🙂
Pebbe is gorgeous. Your sister must adore her..
And you will now be with Mr. D, I imagine… Welcome home?
xoxoxo

Thank you dear Carolyn! I am back home now and enjoy the company of Mr. D. He sent me text messages and pictures while I was away and Pebbe was a great ‘stand-in’ for him. We did walk a lot…and since Pebbe got to determine the pace, it was always quite fast 🙂 You’d love Stockholm and I hope you get to visit at some point. Hugs XXX

I will have to be honest. The old lady in me loves the old architecture more than the new. I had no idea that Stockholm was a city of islets connected by bridges! Learned something new today. 🙂 Love the photos and your tour guide was quite gentle in his pace. Thanks for the walking tour and my feet don’t hurt one bit. Finland! That sounds fun too.

I love the old buildings too…they have so much history, they are well-built and all modern inside. And there is so much water and green nature everywhere…but I have to say my tourguide, Pebbe, kept a good pace…I had to run at times to keep up with him 🙂 Next we board a huge ship and go fishing for my roots in Finland. Thanks for coming along, Marlene.

Beautiful waterscapes,lovely tour on water,dear Helen.Stockholm is a great coastal city,l have only good memories from all the Nordic countries I have visited.Pebbe was good company too.Soon,I’ll be off,I’ll catch up when I come back.Love to you & Dylan ❤

What a wonderful walk through Stockholm on such a lovely blue sky day, Tiny. It was lovely going on the tour with you and your sister’s dog Pebbe (what a cute name!). Interesting to learn and see how the inner city is connected by bridges, water and so many adjoining pathways. The nature and greenery around the water seems so lush, like it has had a good growing season. That rabbit looking right up at you seems curious to see you…and you captured its blueish eyes so well 🙂 Also that amusement park looks like fun. Quite a few people on the rides. I’m not one for rides but it’s always lovely to wander around the theme park and play the games on offer 🙂

Thanks for coming along, Mabel! It was a great month to be in Stockholm, long days and lots of sunshine. I love the little rabbits…they have made their home under one of the bridges and although a bit skittish, this one posed for a photo 🙂 I used to love the amusement park, but the new rides seem too much for me so this time we didn’t visit. Just admired from the water.

Stockholm is quite a unique city and very ‘walkable’ even in the heat we experienced. Pebbe was an excellent guide, but on the fast side, I had to run at times to keep up with him 🙂 Thanks to him I now feel well exercised despite the many nights of dining out with both family and old friends from years back.

That was the most restful and enjoyable 7 mile walk ever thank you for taking me along. 🙂 What great pictures of an absolutely beautiful place. I so enjoyed all of the pictures. Pebbe is a cutie and so is that little wild bunny. I can tell you are really enjoying your time there. Thank you so much for sharing with us in pictures. Hugs sweet Tiny

How nice to hear you enjoyed the tour, dear Mags! It was truly beautiful all around. Being with family and meeting old friends I’ve not seen in 15+ years was heart-warming. Now I am back home and Dylan seems very happy about it 🙂 We both send you all hugs!

Thanks for coming along for the tour Gallivanta. The city is, indeed, very beautiful. Our trip to happy Finland was very happy, but also quite emotional. I hope to get the post ready for tomorrow evening.

How fortunate you are, Helen, to be able to travel. GORGEOUS pictures, every single one of them! Everywhere one turns his or eyes today the temperatures are soaring! I cannot begin to imagine the time you must have put in to edit these images. My head spins just thinking about it. THANK YOU so much for putting together this complicated post, allowing me to see a part of the world I probably will not see in person. Glorious post!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I am happy you could join this tour, dear Amy, and that you enjoyed the views! For the first time in years, I enjoyed almost a month with family and friends – and walked Stockholm…many days 4-7 miles. Summer in Stockholm is so colorful … many streets had been made pedestrians only…the sidewalks overflowing with great eateries. Hugs!

Stockholm is so beautiful! I have often heard the city referred to as the Venice of the North. A seven-mile walk in the heat sounds exhausting but the scenery must have made it worth the effort. We’ve been breaking heat and humidity records here, too. Pebbe seems to be an excellent guide. 🙂